And with four words, she changed him forever.
“I really like you.”
A brass band took over his heart. Fireworks replaced his pulse. Christmas really was magic. Scrambling back to sit on an equal step with her, Clark prayed this wasn’t a dream. Or if it was, he wanted to live in this dream forever.
“I really like you,” he replied. She tried to hide her smile, something he couldn’t possibly attempt.
“And that was…” She paused so long Clark thought he would die from waiting. This time, she gave him the privilege of viewing her entire face; the shy smile reddened her already flush cheeks. “That was a really good apology.”
His jaw dropped. He’d been convinced she’d run him out of town on a rail.
“Was it?”
“Yeah, but I have one question.”
“Shoot.”
Anything. Anything. I’m all yours.
“Why am I in this ridiculous costume?” she asked, ruffling the skirts with a laughter-tinted huff.
A moment of panic. Clark remembered her telling a story about outgrowing the Belle costume—her favorite—so he arranged for it to be let out and altered by Miss Carolyn. Had he gotten it wrong?
“What? Don’t you like it? I thought you said Belle was your dream role in the festival.”
“It is, but…” Kate sighed, her fists wrapping into the velvet. “But…”
“But what?”
“But Belle and Scrooge don’t end up together.”
No sooner had she spoken than she scrunched her face in humiliation, slapping a hand over her face to cover the spreading blush. Adorable. Kissable. His heart opened wide to her.
“I’ve got news for you.” He tugged her hand away from her face and tipped her chin up. “We aren’t Scrooge and Belle.” He pressed a kiss to her forehead. “But we can be. During next year’s festival, if you want.”
“Next year’s festival?” The halting words left tracks of white air in their wake as her warm breath spiked the freezing wind around them. Unspoken hope brought out the muted green flecks in her golden eyes as she looked up at him. Clark knew how she felt. Desperate to believe, terrified to be disappointed.
“Next year’s festival,” Clark confirmed, jumping to his feet and taking her with him by their interlocked hands. “And you can make that call because you, Miss Kate Buckner, are the new Director of Festival Operations for The Christmas Company.”
“Me?” She choked on the word, yanking her hand back so she could place it firmly over the place where her heart beat, presumably to keep it from running out on her.
“Miss Carolyn’s looking to retire. She wants to enjoy the festival as a guest next year, and she recommended you for the job.” The idea came to him this morning when Miss Carolyn complained about hurting her back moving one of the props around the town square. She muttered something about getting too old for this, and Clark offered her a generous retirement package. Apparently, she’d been wanting to quit for some time but didn’t have the money. Now she did, leaving an opening for an upstart Christmas fanatic to take over. “I don’t think there’s a person in the entire world who would lead this company better than you.”
Even when presented with her dream job, Kate stayed hung up on one thing in particular. She held his hands so tight he wondered if she was trying to keep herself from flying into the clouds with joy. He certainly was.
“You aren’t ending the festival?”
“You were right all along. The festival is good for the soul. Even if it loses Woodward Enterprises a few dollars every year.”
In the grand scheme of a billion-dollar company, that’s all it was. A few dollars to make people happy and sustain an entire town? Yeah, now Clark saw the appeal of such a setup. Kate swallowed hard.
“I don’t know what to say.”
He pulled her close.
“Say you’ll make next year the best Christmas ever.”
“Nothing could ever beat this one.”
Her head rested on his chest, where he hoped it would always remain.
“Miss Kate Buckner, would you do me the honor of giving me a second chance?” All of a sudden, music struck up from the bandstand at the far end of the square, grand and sweeping, as Clark ordered. The finale was meant to happen at 10 o’clock sharp, and a check of his watch affirmed Miss Carolyn’s devotion to timeliness. “And dancing with me?”
“I’d be delighted.”
They swayed in the cold air, accompanied by the roaring band down the street. Completely content. Completely at peace. Clark never knew such happiness. Not in his entire life.
As the song barreled towards it climax, Kate’s eyes widened in awe and she pulled away from his chest so she could open herself up to the heavens.
“Snow!” she exclaimed, another delicious smile overtaking her bright features.
“Yeah,” Clark confessed. “I told them to turn on the fake stuff. I thought it would add to the atmosphere.”
“No, Clark.” Kate took his hand and opened it to the sky. “It’s not fake. It’s really snowing.”
Sure enough, one by one, tiny flurries landed on his palm before melting into his skin. This wasn’t the sticky soap bubble snow or the false stuff covering every surface of Miller’s Point to give it the illusion of snow. This was the real thing.
“Snow in Texas on Christmas Day,” he marveled.
“See?” Kate returned her head to his chest. “Miracles do happen.”
And for the first time in his life, as he danced with Kate Buckner in a gentle snowdrift, Clark Woodward believed.
The End.
Sweet Potato Biscuits with Country Ham
A Hallmark Original Recipe
In The Christmas Company, Kate and many other people in town surprise Clark with a lavish Christmas feast. It includes every holiday treat imaginable—including sweet potato biscuits and ham. Our recipe would be a brilliant use of leftovers from your own holiday meal, and a perfect main dish for a Christmas brunch or lunch.
Yield: 10 servings
Prep Time: 15 minutes
Cook
